


Mother Hen

by vix_spes



Series: Kink Me Merlin Fills [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-27
Updated: 2011-03-27
Packaged: 2018-01-07 19:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1123461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of the invasion of Camelot, those closest to Merlin come to appreciate him for the little things that he does...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mother Hen

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the following prompt at [kinkme_merlin](http://kinkme-merlin.livejournal.com): Merlin is just like Hunith at heart - loving and motherly to everyone he meets and it shows more and more as he matures. Would love to see it in the aftermath of 3x13

No-one ever really talked about it but everybody knew what Merlin did for them all regardless of if they responded in kind. The knights of Camelot had always grudgingly put up with Merlin in the beginning but when he willingly went with them to fight Great Dragon he had earned their respect. When he had followed Arthur into Cenred’s kingdom to retrieve the Cup of Life and had stayed at Arthur’s side he had become one of them. He might not be knighted but Merlin was an unofficial knight of Camelot.

Since they had returned to Camelot and Uther had been successfully replaced on the throne, Merlin had turned into a real mother-hen as far as the knights were concerned. He was still far from the perfect servant in that he still talked back and he still had no concept of court propriety and protocol even after three years as Arthur’s servant but it was in all of the little things, the things that often mattered most, that Merlin ensured happened that made all of the difference. The knights all knew about it but didn’t mention it; they just tried to reciprocate where and when they could.

Being Arthur’s manservant gained Merlin a foothold on the hierarchy of Camelot’s servants, technically he was just behind Uther’s manservant. However, Merlin’s own nature had made him the darling of the female servants. Gaius had even been heard to comment that a smile or a flash of puppy-dog eyes from Merlin and the female servants were falling over themselves to do what he wanted.

Percival had noted that his arrival to Camelot had gone much smoother than he had expected considering the chaos that had mired the city when he arrived. He had been told to visit the steward in charge of the knights quarters to organise a bed, supplies and equipment and had done so, only to be told that it could take a couple of days due to the chaos surrounding everything. So he had been taken by surprise when two hours later, a mattress and bedding arrived carried by two teenagers. When he questioned his good luck he was simply told that some strings had been pulled, only learning that that cryptic message had been code for Merlin.

Lancelot and Gwaine had both been recovering from injuries when they had noticed Merlin’s mother-hen tendencies. Neither of their injuries had been major but Merlin had still fussed over them as though they were on the brink of death, not that either of them were complaining. For the couple of days they had been bed-bound he had acted as their manservant at the appropriate intervals, bringing and applying their remedies from Gaius, fetching their meals and ensuring they had everything they wanted. Even once they were back to full strength he didn’t stop fussing.

As none of them were nobility (well Gwaine was but he refused to acknowledge it), Lancelot, Gwaine and Percival along with the other knights were served by three squires who were responsible for everything. The three of them however noticed that they were better treated than the other knights. Courtesy of Merlin and his winning ways, their laundry was always done promptly and their clothing somehow materialised at the top of the pile at the seamstresses and their weapons were the best maintained. Nothing was ever said but all three of them knew that Merlin was responsible.

Leon couldn’t believe it when he was subjected to Merlin’s mother-hen tendencies. His own manservant had been one of those who fell to the bolts of Morgana’s crossbow-men and he didn’t have the heart to replace him yet. He was thus incredibly touched by Merlin’s actions. With Arthur spending more and more time in the council rooms, it had been up to Leon to take care of the outlying areas, patrolling to ensure that all of Cenred’s army had dispersed and that Camelot slowly returned to normal. The first day he had been completely unprepared, on his return to Camelot and his chambers, for there to be a hot bath waiting for him and clean set of clothes laid out. He hadn’t complained but he had been confused. His questions had all been answered when, halfway through his bath, there had been a knock on the door and Merlin’s head appeared.

“Sir Leon? I brought some hot food for you. Shall I leave it on the table?”

Leon didn’t know what to say but Merlin chattered away oblivious. Leon then watched in amazement as Merlin gathered up his mail and weaponry before departing. Leon had been completely unprepared the following morning when his breakfast was delivered alongside spotless mail and weaponry by a smiling Merlin.

He had thought it would be a one-time thing but whenever he returned from patrol there was a steaming hot bath waiting for him and a hot meal was delivered by a smiling Merlin. The acts of kindness continued until Leon found a new manservant.

Arthur couldn’t put into words how much he appreciated Merlin in the days following their return to Camelot. His father was still far from himself and Arthur found himself in council meetings from morning until night. Yet, every morning he was awoken to a hot breakfast and his clothes for the day laid out. Every evening he returned from council to discover a hot bath waiting for him along with dinner on the evenings that he didn’t eat with his father.

On the evenings that he did have dinner with his father he returned mentally exhausted yet Merlin was always waiting to fill the torturous silence of his chambers with the inane babble that normally drove Arthur mad but was now greatly appreciated. Even more appreciated were the massages to relieve the tension meetings with his father caused. When he questioned Merlin about the oil he had smiled at Merlin’s mumble about it being a new blend of herbs for what he needed. Arthur had read the subtext; Merlin had braved the bottles and jars of Gaius’ workshop to concoct a massage oil specifically for Arthur.

Arthur had been fiercely independent for years now. He had had a manservant for years but he hadn’t been looked after as a person since Uther had removed his nanny when he was four years old. Merlin might be a useless manservant but the little things that he did without asking made Arthur feel loved for himself as a person rather than as a prince for the first time since he was a toddler. Even with Guinevere there was always a small doubt in the back of his mind that she loved the Crown Prince and not simply Arthur. Merlin saw him simply as Arthur and that meant the world to him. He couldn’t actually find the words to say so, and he just hoped that Merlin understood.

Arthur had privately acknowledged that Merlin was his friend several years ago. If he was honest, Merlin was his closest friend, his best friend. They had both risked their lives for each other and Arthur knew that when he finally became King, Merlin would be by his side much in the same role that Gaius held for his father. He was also unashamed to admit that he had imagined an older Merlin and himself in such a relationship, although more an equal relationship. He had been further convinced of this following a day of long and harrowing meetings with his father’s council and then dinner with his father.

Merlin had given him a massage (unasked for) and then settled Arthur in the chair in front of the fire with a goblet of strong wine as he bustled around the rooms doing who knew what. The domesticity of it all combined with his own exhaustion had resulted in him dozing off. He half woke up as he heard voices and recognised them as Merlin and Lord Ector, one of his father’s councillors. He listened in dopy amazement as Merlin refused to allow Lord Ector entrance despite the supposed emergency, insisting that Arthur was exhausted. He felt himself melt a little at Merlin’s fierce protectiveness and his amazement turned to disbelief as, having been told the specific problem, Merlin gave an answer that was word for word identical to that which Arthur would have given. He hadn’t realised how much Merlin listened to the meetings and that convinced him that Merlin would be by his side when he was King.

He heard the rustle of papers and then the sound of the door closing before Merlin stood in front of him. He was in a daze as Merlin manhandled him out of his clothes and into his nightshirt. He couldn’t help the surge of warmth that swept through him as Merlin pulled the covers back and pushed him into bed before actually tucking him in. Arthur couldn’t remember the last time he had been tucked into bed and it meant so much to him.

Normally he would tease Merlin mercilessly but he couldn’t over this ... he loved Merlin’s mother-hen act and would do anything for it to continue.

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/49708.html)


End file.
